The Rape of a nation


I was never a fan of the city of Delhi...I never got a chance to read any good news about that city...I was actually scared shit when I visited and I must say that is the only Indian city where I was so security conscious and always had to look behind me to know what is happening.

The only reason for my fear of the city was the countless rape incidences I kept reading about and watching on the television. It is the same city where I read about kids been raped, old women close to their grave were also not alone...anything with a vagina is raped in that city. Rape is no longer news in Delhi.

When I heard about the December 16th 2012, brutal gang-rape  and assault of the physiotherapy student who name has not been disclosed, I really did not pay much attention to it because I felt it was a normal dose of life in that city. I guess the brutality and public nature of this assault was too much for the Indian society to just overlook as a normal dose of life. For once the people are fed up and want the government to change its lackadaisical attitude towards the rape of their women. What caught my eye was the video of the protest I saw on CNN and then I thought maybe this is not a usual rape story. My heart bled when I read about the rape, the inhuman act of destroying her internal organs. I also recently read the recount of her male friend who was also attacked with her on the bus. I was angry at how the people just looked on and did not even lift a finger to help the victims. I was devastated when she finally succumbed to the horrific injuries she suffered in Singapore after days of fighting to live.

When everyone talks about how Indians are the next big deal, I shake my head. Because no matter the ground-breaking technology, the medical tourism, a large percentage of the Indian population still live in a century I cannot even describe. There are a lot of “konjified” boys as old as 30years who have no idea about sex roaming around the country. I once argued that the society needs to give the youth sex education and someone said that there are still rape capes in nations where sex education is taught, which I believe is not a yardstick for the lack of gender sensitive education these people lack.  I hear the government of Puducherry (a union state in India) believes covering up women in overcoat would protect them from the very many sexual predators in the society. There are also talks of segregation by providing special buses for the girl students. Rape victims most times commit suicide or are forced to marry their violator. Another gang rape victim in the same city who committed suicide was advised by the police to either marry one of her violator or simply drop the case.

The Indian society is misogynist and very much like the many Arab nations in the treatment of their women only that Arab nations hide behind religion to justify their actions.  I found in India the single act of casting a second glance at a guy who maybe whistles at you means you are interested in him. The government is forever trivializing the issue of rape and make the women accountable for the crimes of the animals in the society. I really don’t get why at this age, India is thinking about segregating and restricting its women in the name of their own safety instead of ensuring stringent penalty for perpetrators of this horrible crime.

India is a nation of great potential but until it treats its women right, until the women are safe and can fearlessly share the public space with the men without any repercussion then can this incredible nation truly be great.

♥  Lara

Anonymous

25 comments:

  1. This story is really sad and I hope something comes out of these protests. It's a good thing its garnering international attention and hopefully something will change. And I hope they prosecute the men who carried out the barbaric act at least to serve as a lesson to other men.

    Happy New Year!!!

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  2. That lady's story was very sad indeed. I sometimes wonder if these men ever think it could easily be their own mother, sister or daughter in such a situation.

    Segregating women or covering them up would not work, dealing with the issue at hand by creating awareness and putting strong penalties in place would go a long way. Sadly, rape is everywhere in the world.

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  3. Its just Sad.... How can one be advised to go and marry one of her violators??? Just How???

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  4. What do they expect in a country where the ratio of boys to girls is 1000 to 300. (according to an online article i read).
    It is only going to worse unless they do something about the "konji" that is worrying all those jobless men.
    They keep killing their baby girls which means there are not enough girls to go round. And the men wont marry anyone who cant afford their ridiculous huge dowries.In this economy how many girls can afford it. So they are both sexually and financially frustrated. And decide to take it out on the women who are doing much better than them.

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  5. though the ratio of such kind of things are higher in India due to a huge numbers of slums societies, they are not educated, they have nothing to eat but they have enough money to purchase a Drinks. when people are not in their own mind then how is it possible they will respect the others Yacht Rental in Dubai

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  6. Sad that such things still occur in this modern times. Hope the families of the victims get justice.

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  7. Hearing about this story in the news really made me sad and angry. I kept trying to imagine two things: how can human beings be so wicked to another person? And how will the parents of this poor lady feel? It's a crime that is incomprehensible and unforgivable. If anything is to come out of this, I hope the animals that did this face the death penalty for their crimes, I hope that the relevant authorities sit up and start taking crimes of rape and sexual assault against women very seriously.

    There is nothing to discuss, rape is wrong, wrong, wrong and any one who is found guilty must be punished.

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  8. So my first comment got wiped off... Summary, I hope something drastic gets done.

    Happy new year Lara

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  9. ogao!!!!!!chai!!!!>..i felt horrible when reading this..
    @ this age..people or rather, a nation or govt still thinks like this?!!!!
    hian!!
    something needs to be done oo..ahn ahn..it cant continue like this now and women cannot continue enduring torture from ignorant and peverse men like that now.
    i just wish for the best concerning the physiotherapy student and all other ladies that have been involved in rape cases.
    happy new year Lara

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  10. I read it too & was just heartbroken. Monsters, those guys.

    Happy new year Lara

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  11. It's sad, I hope they get the death penalty. Happy new year Lara

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  12. Very sad stuff...I hope the government wakes up and do more than segregating nd restricting their women.

    Happy New year Lara, have a beautiful 2013.

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  13. It is just terrible, I keep picking up bits and pieces of the news and each one tears me up. I hope justice is served on those rapists.

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  14. the issue is not with sex education, but what's needed is an intense cultural education on every feminist issue the country is dealing with. The fact that women aren't an object of abuse, they have no control over the gender of their child, not a punching bag e.t.c. I can't believe they make the women marry the person who rapes them, that's even worse! no wonder they commit suicide! I hope they address female fetus abortion and other feminine rights in the country while they're at it.
    BTW, south Africa and in The Congo,rape is now used as a weapon.
    Glad you wrote a piece about this issue

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    Replies
    1. In a way female fetus abortion is addressed, it is a crime in India to find out the gender of an unborn child. No doctor will do that for an expecting mother.

      Also I think the dowry culture has to be completely eradicated...and yes not just sex education is needed.

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  15. So so sad. I guess every country and culture has its shortcomings.

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    1. Rape is like the worst shortcoming I can think of right now.

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  16. But Lara, what will sex education do if the prevailing culture does not allow/encourage pre-marital sex? So its either they remove the barriers to marriage or I guess sex education comes in handy in teaching them to use condoms when raping at least?
    But then again, there are sex workers, so konijified young men dont have an excuse.
    They should make laws stiffer. I am yet to hear news that they have caught the perpetrators of the crime or have they? If this crime goes off the radar unresolved, then they have underscored the status quo that rape is okay. shrug.

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    1. The perpetrators have been caught and are already in court...the only lawyer that agreed to even represent them is facing serious attack from his colleagues as they all agreed not to represent them.

      The case is not an open-court case and the indentity of these animals are not reveiled just as that of the victim. Premarital sex is not their problem, their mentality towards the women is the problem... The goverment sure needs to make the laws stiffer as the rapists in that nation are on rampage.

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    2. Happy to hear they've been caught. I pray the lawyers stay courageous...even those on their defence. If they don't have representatives, then it becomes a mistrial blah blah. Its one lawcase at a time. If this case is won, it sets a precedent.
      It wont raise the dead, but it will save others.

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  17. Blessings....
    Just commented on a blog with the same topic. CHRONICLES OF AN UNKNOWN INDIAN http://meerareflections.blogspot.com/. Sadly this is a universal problem, today the focus is Delhi but the sad truth it is a form of genocide that is used against women/girls.

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  18. Marry her violator!!!!! i'm horrified. I agree that people should be educated about sex and gender. Granted it will not stop rape completely. There will always be sick people in any society. But it will stop rape born from ignorance. It will chip away at the social indifference that makes people continue about their business while someone is brutalised. Most importantly, It will create a legal framework that gets justice for those who have been victimised. Education is never wasted. Especially not social education.

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  19. This is what really scares me about visiting India. All you read about these days is the rape cases. They seriously need to change the laws. They cannot continue to ignore the violation of human rights towards women in their country as well as female foreign visitors.
    http://www.itsallbee.com

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